BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2018

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared by NetScout Systems, Inc., or NetScout or the Company. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared under United States generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In the opinion of management, the unaudited interim consolidated financial statements include all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair statement of the Company's financial position, results of operations and cash flows. The year-end consolidated balance sheet data was derived from the Company's audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by GAAP. The results reported in these unaudited interim consolidated financial statements are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the entire year. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated in consolidation.

These unaudited interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements, including the notes thereto, included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 21, 2018.

Certain amounts for the three months ended June 30, 2017 have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation. These reclassifications had no effect on the reported results of operations.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In February 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update 2018-02, Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects From Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (ASU 2018-02). ASU 2018-02 amends ASC 220, Income Statement - Reporting Comprehensive Income, to allow a reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Tax Legislation). In addition, under the ASU 2018-02, we may be required to provide certain disclosures regarding stranded tax effects. ASU 2018-02 is effective for years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years. ASU 2018-02 is effective for NetScout beginning April 1, 2019. Early adoption is permitted. We do not believe the adoption of ASU 2018-02 will have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815), Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities (ASU 2017-12). ASU 2017-12 provides guidance to better align an entity's risk management activities and financial reporting for hedging relationships through changes to both the designation and measurement guidance for qualifying hedging relationships and the presentation of hedge results. The amendments expand and refine hedge accounting for both non-financial and financial risk components and align the recognition and presentation of the effects of the hedging instrument and the hedged item in the financial statements. This standard is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. ASU 2017-12 is effective for the Company beginning April 1, 2019. The Company is currently assessing the potential impact of the adoption of ASU 2017-12 on its consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) Section A - Leases: Amendments to the FASB Accounting Standards Codification (ASU 2016-02), its new standard on accounting for leases. This update requires the recognition of leased assets and lease obligations by lessees for those leases currently classified as operating leases under existing lease guidance. Short term leases with a term of 12 months or less are not required to be recognized. The update also requires disclosure of key information about leasing arrangements to increase transparency and comparability among organizations. ASU 2016-02 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 31, 2018 and interim periods within those fiscal years, and early adoption is permitted. ASU 2016-02 is effective for the company beginning April 1, 2019. The Company is currently assessing the potential impact of the adoption of ASU 2016-02 on its consolidated financial statements.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers: Topic 606 (ASU 2014-09). ASU 2014-09 supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in Topic 605, Revenue Recognition, and requires entities to recognize revenue when control of the promised goods or services is transferred to customers at an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. The Company adopted ASU 2014-09 as of April 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective transition method. Please refer to Note 2, "Revenue Recognition" for further details.